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Oct 13, 2009
Acquitted despite confession <!--10 min-->
<!-- headline one : start --> <!-- headline one : end --> <!-- Author --> <!-- show image if available --> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr></tr> <tr> </tr> <tr> </tr> <tr><td colspan="2" class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold">By Khushwant Singh </td></tr> <tr valign="bottom"> <td width="330">
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Mr Anuar (left), 54, of Unispec Services was charged with accepting $500 from Mr Alex Koh Chin Lee for falsely certifying that an additional 30 metric tonnes of marine fuel was supplied to the vessel SG Prosperity in March 2006. -- ST PHOTO: SHAHRIYA YAHAYA
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DESPITE a confession to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB), a marine surveyor was acquitted on Tuesday of receiving a $500 bribe for short-changing a ship of fuel. A district court found it 'unsafe' to rely on the admission of Mr Anuar Ahmad as there was some inducement involved.
During the nine-day trial which ended in August, CPIB officer Sathiabalan Veerapillai said that before recording the confession, he had assured Mr Anuar that the punishment for the offence was only a fine. This is not true as offenders could also be jailed for up to five years although fines were the norm in previous cases. Mr Anuar, 54, of Unispec Services was charged with accepting $500 from Mr Alex Koh Chin Lee for falsely certifying that an additional 30 metric tonnes of marine fuel was supplied to the vessel SG Prosperity in March 2006. The prosecution's case fell apart because of poor quality of evidence and glaring inconsistencies. District Judge Jasvender Kaur said the prosecutor had failed to establish its case and issued an acquittal.
Oct 13, 2009
Acquitted despite confession <!--10 min-->
<!-- headline one : start --> <!-- headline one : end --> <!-- Author --> <!-- show image if available --> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr></tr> <tr> </tr> <tr> </tr> <tr><td colspan="2" class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold">By Khushwant Singh </td></tr> <tr valign="bottom"> <td width="330">
</td> <td width="10">
Mr Anuar (left), 54, of Unispec Services was charged with accepting $500 from Mr Alex Koh Chin Lee for falsely certifying that an additional 30 metric tonnes of marine fuel was supplied to the vessel SG Prosperity in March 2006. -- ST PHOTO: SHAHRIYA YAHAYA
</td></tr> </tbody></table>
DESPITE a confession to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB), a marine surveyor was acquitted on Tuesday of receiving a $500 bribe for short-changing a ship of fuel. A district court found it 'unsafe' to rely on the admission of Mr Anuar Ahmad as there was some inducement involved.
During the nine-day trial which ended in August, CPIB officer Sathiabalan Veerapillai said that before recording the confession, he had assured Mr Anuar that the punishment for the offence was only a fine. This is not true as offenders could also be jailed for up to five years although fines were the norm in previous cases. Mr Anuar, 54, of Unispec Services was charged with accepting $500 from Mr Alex Koh Chin Lee for falsely certifying that an additional 30 metric tonnes of marine fuel was supplied to the vessel SG Prosperity in March 2006. The prosecution's case fell apart because of poor quality of evidence and glaring inconsistencies. District Judge Jasvender Kaur said the prosecutor had failed to establish its case and issued an acquittal.
